Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund

(File Photo)

Preventing future Fergusons will require dismantling the patterns of segregation established by decades of federal housing policies, Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF), told a gathering of law and social work students at the University of Maryland on Monday. Speaking at a series held by the University of Maryland School of Law titled ‘Beyond Ferguson,’ Ifill cautioned that rather than move beyond what happened in Missouri last August, we must thoroughly engage the implications of Michael Brown’s death.

“All too often, in this country, we are so hesitant, so nervous, so afraid of engaging in difficult conversations, especially about issues of race and justice, that we are always looking to get beyond it as quickly as possible,” said Ifill. “And as a result, we have left on the table . . . a bevy of problems that continue to bedevil us over and over again.”

The past, Ifill says, explains our present, and the problem of police killings is partly a problem of police culture, but mostly a function of America’s history of segregated housing that continues to shape cities and communities across the country.

On police culture, Ifill says that while it will be slow to change, one effective way to help spur movement in the right direction is to tie the almost $1 billion in annual federal grants to police agencies to training requirements in areas such as implicit bias, de-escalation techniques, and how to handle encounters with the mentally ill.

“Several levels of training [are] needed,” said Ifill. “Whatever is happening now is not doing it, and it needs to be better.”

Additionally, the federal government should be requiring greater data collection by police agencies on matters like departmental diversity, the number of civil rights complaints against a department and the nature of any resolutions, incentives for officers to keep their weapons holstered vs. unholstered, and the supervisory and internal investigatory mechanisms in place to ensure accountability.

Arguing that data collection requirements are also a reflection of our values as a society, Ifill pointed to gaps in our knowledge of policing. “I can go online, right now, and tell you how many officers were feloniously killed last year, and the year before, and the year before that,” said Ifill, “but I could not tell you how many unarmed citizens were killed last year and the year before that, so we need data.”

These measures would help address the problem of police killings in part, but the bigger issue is the persistence of segregation in American society. The Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education highlighted social-scientific findings on the effects of segregation on Black children, but left out that this same body of research also found that segregation gives White children a false sense of their own abilities and what they can achieve, as well as an overdeveloped respect for authority even where such respect is misplaced.

“I really believe we’re living with the results of that,” said Ifill. “And I think we can no longer turn away from that reality.”

Ifill said past federal policies created a segregated America that has persisted long after those policies were taken off the books. One example she cited was federal mortgage insurance which began in 1934 and whose beneficiaries were 98 percent White because most mortgages during that era required racially restrictive covenants – binding agreements that a homeowner would not sell their home to non-Whites.

“The truth is you cannot have massive amounts of money and decades of investment and policy to create a segregated society, and just stop doing it and think you’re going to get an integrated society,” said Ifill. “We have never, on the other side, created the policies or the investments that would undo what created this landscape that we all have inherited.”

Pursuing such policies and investments that would reverse the legacy of segregated housing, says Ifill, is a renewed focus for the NAACP LDF in the civil rights arena.

]]>brian@lasentinel.net (Roberto Alejandro, Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper)NewsFri, 27 Feb 2015 04:27:58 +0000Which Local City Will Get NFL Team?http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14515:which-local-city-will-get-nfl-team&catid=74&Itemid=164
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14515:which-local-city-will-get-nfl-team&catid=74&Itemid=164

James T. Butts Jr., Mayor of Inglewood

Raiders and Chargers test Carson, Inglewood has Rams on radar and L.A. not done yet

The temperature is rising for a return of the National Football League to Southern California after the Raiders and Chargers presented a proposal to build a $1.7 billion stadium in Carson.

At a press conference in Carson on Feb. 20, two teams with history and fans in the region pledged their support of building a joint football stadium for the Chargers and Raiders to play in.

Both teams have joined forces and financial resources to move their teams, but only if they cannot get a stadium deal done in their homes markets of Oakland and San Diego, respectively.

The funding for the proposed stadium is being led by Tim Romer with Goldman Sachs who praised the stadium concept and location.

Romer says the funding model for the stadium is along the lines of the way the San Francisco 49ers funded their new Levi Stadium in Santa Clara.

However, Carson citizens must gather signatures for a ballot measure and get that measure passed just as the two cities where the teams are located must do.

Councilmember Curren D. Price Jr

Romer was joined by Rep. Janice Hahn and other public officials and citizens to discuss the proposal at the Carson Community Center.

Fred MacFarlane of the organizing group Carson 2gether hailed the project as more than just football, its jobs, opportunities, positive attention, and community spirit, he says.

Just days after the Carson event, officials from Inglewood and Los Angeles decalred their intentions of moving forward in quest ofbringing the NFL back to the region for the first time since 1995.

James T. Butts Jr., mayor of Inglewood, issued this statement in response to regarding his position on the Carson press conference.

“The Carson stadium concept press conference has no impact on our plans in Inglewood whatsoever. The Hollywood Park Land Co. development team has 100 percent of its financing allocated and its architectural plans in place. On Tuesday, Feb. 24, the city of Inglewood has the ability to complete the entitlement process for its Sports/Entertainment Complex, which includes an 80,000-seat NFL specification stadium as specified in the City of Champions Revitalization Initiative. This would allow stadium construction to begin in Inglewood on schedule in December, 2015 (or possibly sooner) and stadium completion and occupancy by the 2018 season, if not sooner.”

The Inglewood project is backed by St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke and Stockbridge Capital, which owns the former Hollywood Park racetrack.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles City Councilmember Curren D. Price Jr. also issued a statement regarding the announcement of interest in City of Carson for future football stadium

“Los Angeles continues to be the best candidate for a new NFL team and a new stadium would be a great way to build on the tremendous redevelopment success of our Downtown core. We have the best proposal for a new stadium and we are the furthest along as far as the design and entitlement process goes. We will move forward with plans to build a state of the art Convention Center, with or without a stadium as we continue to aggressively pursue the NFL and will not lose hope”

Price was speaking of proposed Farmer’s Field plan in downtown Los Angeles.

Rep. Janice Hahn

Carson’s plan is to build a joint NFL stadium that would be home to both the Chargers and the Raiders.

The teams, who are working with the business coalition Carson2gether, say they have already purchased the landfill near the 405 Freeway and Del Amo Boulevard and will build the stadium if they are unable to strike stadium deals in their own cities, which both teams have tried to do for years.

“We want the Chargers to know, and we want the Raiders to know, if you can’t work it out with your cities, we will welcome you with open arms here in Carson,” Hahn said during news conference.

“I have a little experience with taking a team from another city when I was a little girl. Many of you remember, my dad Kenny Hahn met with Walter O’Malley of the Brooklyn Dodgers,” she continued.

“All they wanted was a new stadium and Brooklyn wouldn’t give it to them, so Los Angeles, with open arms, brought the Dodgers to Los Angeles, and we have benefited every single day.”

The plans include a 168-acre site with 18,000 parking spots.

It was unclear if the NFL would approve two teams from the same division to share a stadium, but both teams have indicated they would be willing to change divisions if necessary.

“We were very candid, I think, with the people of San Diego for months now that we needed to keep our options open because of what the Rams owner did in Inglewood,” Chargers Attorney Mark Fabiani said.

The NFL has said it has no plans for any of the three teams to move to Los Angeles in 2015, but the Chargers, Raiders and Rams are all on year-to-year leases at their current facilities. The league also mentioned any team moving to Los Angeles would need approval from three-quarters of the league’s owners.

However, teams have moved without league approval before, including the Raiders, which moved to Los Angeles from Oakland in the 1980s.

On February 20, State Attorney General Kamala Harris approved the sale of six Daughters of Charity Health System hospitals, including two in Southern California, to Prime Healthcare Services Inc.,

State Attorney General Kamala Harris approved the sale of six Daughters of Charity Health System hospitals February 20, including two in Southern California, to Prime Healthcare Services Inc., subject to a series of conditions.

The Southern California hospitals involved in the sale are St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood and St. Vincent Medical Center near downtown Los Angeles. The proposed sale was the subject of intense debate, with opponents indicating their concern over Prime Healthcare’s potential service cuts to bolster the company's profits.

Proponents, however, said the hospitals faced possible closure if the deal was not approved. Harris included a dozen conditions on the sale, including a requirement that Prime invest $150 million for capital improvements at the hospitals over the next three years.

Herb Wesson, the current L.A. City Councilmember for District 10, cares deeply about our community. Throughout his career, both as State Assembly Speaker and as President of the L.A. City Council, Wesson has worked hard to get things done for local neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles.

Specifically, since he was elected to the City Council in 2005, Wesson has worked tirelessly to increase the minimum wage, create good paying middle class jobs, renovate dilapidated housing structures, provide housing and services for returning veterans, attract businesses to the L.A. area to strengthen our local economy, and invest more in infrastructure to repair the City’s sidewalks and streets. Wesson pledges to continue this work if he is reelected on March 3rd. Here at the LA Sentinel, we believe that a community-minded leader like Councilmember Wesson will prioritize public concerns over those of special interests and work to improve the lives of all citizens residing in Los Angeles. This is why the LA Sentinel fully endorses Herb Wesson for reelection to City Council District 10.

Wesson is first and foremost a down-to-earth family man. He believes a strong family is the foundation for a strong community. Growing up, Wesson set his own ambitions aside for an extended period of time to care for a family member who had grown ill. While he was unable to complete his education until years later, he does not regret the decision to prioritize his familial obligations.

As the son of working class parents, Wesson learned early on the importance of hard work and dogged determination. He understands the frustration that comes with trying to support an entire family on a low wage salary.That understanding has been reflected in his agenda in public office of fighting to level-the-playing field for working people, reduce income inequality, and in praising L.A.’s working people for their unwavering work ethic and contribution to the Los Angeles economy and broader community. Moreover, Wesson devotes a significant portion of his time, energy, and resources to improving educational after-school programs and ensuring that students can safely travel to and from school. He wants to create a bright future for our children and knows that in order for that to happen, students must have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed, and especially in establishing safe neighborhoods for kids to live and thrive in.

Council President Herb Wesson discussing renovation of the Vision Theatre in Leimert Park Village with Leimert Park stakeholders.(courtesy photos)

Issues of racial discrimination hit close to home for Wesson. Growing up in the racially polarized city of Cleveland, Ohio, Wesson witnessed firsthand discrimination in his community. Due to his personal experiences as a child, he has made it his priority to combat instances of racial prejudice in Los Angeles and to foster a healthy environment, where all minorities can feel safe. During his time in office, Wesson has worked to improve conditions within the African American community as well as within other underrepresented groups. He cares passionately about empowering marginalized communities and helping those who are the most economically and socially disadvantaged. Specifically, in 2006, Wesson established Project SAVE, a gang prevention program that works to keep children off the streets by increasing funding for after-school activities. Moreover, in the past few years, he has used his power and influence as President of the LA City Council to initiate several public works projects that created almost 6,000 new jobs for District 10. It is clear that Wesson has the public’s best interest at heart.

Herb Wesson is not only an effective and fair-minded leader, but also an active member of the Los Angeles community. As a former football and basketball coach, Wesson stays in touch with and serves as a mentor to dozens of young children. He stays invested in the lives of his players and uses his experiences as a coach and mentor to shape his policies on the City Council. Wesson also has a soft spot for animals. He is a passionate animal rights activist and personally owns three dogs. Every month, without fail, Wesson brings a dog or a cat to Council and offers them up for adoption. So far, Wesson has helped find suitable homes for over 125 dogs.

While Councilmember Wesson is a devoted family man and active community member, he is also an influential leader who commands the respect and support of his peers. Wesson has secured endorsements from several prominent California leaders, including Mayor Eric Garcetti, Congresswomen Karen Bass, Congresswoman Janice Hahn, and Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Herb Wesson has proven himself to be a well-rounded, community-minded Councilmember, who responds to the needs of his constituents and consistently delivers real results for the people her represents. The LA Sentinel believes Wesson to be the most qualified candidate for District 10 and strongly endorses him for another term in office.

Since declaring that he would seek the 44th Congressional seat soon to be vacated by Rep. Janice Hahn’s bid for Los Angeles County Supervisor in 2016, state Senator Isadore Hall has already garnered a full steam of support.

Hall, who already represents most of the 44th District that includes Compton and Carson, will have the powerful endorsement of ranking Congresswoman Karen Bass, according to her office.

He can become the first Black male member from California since Julian C. Dixon in 2000 and only the sixth Black male ever from the golden state.

“Let me be crystal clear. I will run for the 44th Congressional seat — regardless of who else enters the race. I will not hesitate and I will enter the race fully focused and determined on winning it,” Hall said.

Signifying his ability to win the respect and support of his colleagues, State Senator Isadore Hall’s campaign for U.S. Congress revealed that he had earned the endorsement of a total of 14 State Senators.

"I'm floored to receive the support of so many of my colleagues," Hall said. "These are people who know my work as well as anybody, and it is an honor to have them standing by my side as I fight to make California a better place."

Hall’s ability to secure endorsements early in his campaign reflects his ability to work with political figures from diverse backgrounds over a wide array of issues during his time in State Senate and State Assembly.

Hall was recently elected to California’s 35th State Senate district, which overlaps with over 60% of the 44th Congressional district. He currently serves as the Chair of the Senate’s Governmental Organizational Committee. Previously, he served in the State Assembly from 2008 to 2014, representing the 64th district.

Hall began his career of public service in 2001 when he was elected to the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees. He served two terms as President of the Board and oversaw important reforms to attract highly qualified teachers and increase funding to classrooms throughout the district.

Three months ago, Hall was elected as State Senator in a landside and now the Compton Democrat is taking yet another step on the political rung.

“I’m running for the 44th Congressional district seat to continue Congresswoman Hahn’s legacy of fighting for disadvantaged and middle class families, and to give a voice to those without one,” Hall said in a statement.

Hall won his seat in the California Senate in a special election in December. He filled the vacancy created by the resignation of Sen. Rod Wright, after being termed out in the Assembly. Hall also and on the school board and city council of Compton.

Hall’s bid for the House opens up an opportunity for Steve Bradford, who termed out in the Assembly to now bid for Hall’s Senate seat in the Capitol.

Hahn said Feb. 17 that she would forgo a congressional reelection campaign next year and instead run for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, following in the legacy of her father, the late Kenneth Hahn, who served as Supervisor for four decades.

"My father developed a long history of delivering results for the folks he represented," Hahn, a San Pedro Democrat, said in a statement. "This is a legacy I have fought hard to continue throughout my career."

The county's 4th District includes the South Bay beach cities, Marina del Rey, Artesia, Long Beach, Torrance, San Pedro and Norwalk, among other communities.

A former Los Angeles City Council member before running for Congress, Hahn brings considerable name-recognition to the race.

Charter Amendments 1 and 2 would increase voter participation and hold politicians accountable by holding municipal elections at the same time as federal and state elections.

Los Angeles has for years held its elections on the odd year - just a few months after State and Federal elections. In November 2012 with the presidential elections on the ballot, turnout in the City of Los Angeles was over 70%. In May 2013, with the Mayoral election and city council races on the ballot, L.A. Managed a voter turnout of just 23%. In fourteen consecutive elections, the city has had lower turnout than the equivalent even year election - often dramatically so.

Why it Matters

UC Berkeley Professor Sarah Anzia discovered in her research that - across the board, cities with off-year election have more special interest group influence, and lower voter turnout. Charter Amendments 1 and 2 would take power out of the hands of insiders and put it in the hands of the people who matter - the voters.

In May 2011, Los Angeles spent more than $52.00 per voter in administering its election - between poll workers, ballot printing, and so forth. Meanwhile, San Diego - the next biggest city in the state, and the biggest city with even-year elections - spent less than $4.00 per voter administering its election in November 2010. Moving our elections would save millions of dollars - money that could be spent on improving our schools and reducing traffic.

The people who are disenfranchised by off-year elections are the people who are already the most marginalized - the poor, minorities, and young people. Charter Amendments 1 and 2 would give them a bigger voice in the process

The U.S. government asked a federal judge Monday February 23, to lift his temporary hold on President Barack Obama's action to shield millions of immigrants in the country illegally from deportation.

The Justice Department's motion for a stay was filed with the court of U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas.

The federal government on Monday also filed a three-page notice with Hanen, telling him it is appealing his decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court in New Orleans.

Recently, Hanen issued a preliminary injunction sought by 26 states suing to halt the executive action by Obama, who wants to spare from deportation as many as 5 million people who are in the U.S. illegally. The states, led by Texas, have argued the action is unconstitutional and would force states to invest more in law enforcement, health care and education.

If Hanen puts his ruling on hold during the appeal to the 5th Circuit, then Obama's immigration action would be allowed to go forward while the lawsuit proceeds through the courts.

Obama announced the executive action in November, saying lack of action by Congress forced him to make sweeping changes to immigration rules on his own. Republicans, who say Obama has overstepped his authority, are blocking funding for the Department of Homeland Security unless Democrats agree to cancel Obama's order.

Justice Department attorneys said a stay of Hanen's ruling is necessary "to ensure that the Department of Homeland Security is able to most effectively protect national security, public safety, and the integrity of the border." The 20-page motion argued that keeping the temporary hold "would also harm the interests of the public and of third parties who will be deprived of significant law enforcement and humanitarian benefits of prompt implementation" of the president's immigration action.

Government lawyers also contended Hanen lacked the authority to issue the injunction, the national effect of which is "vastly" excessive.

The injunction issued by Hanen should only focus on Texas "so that we can move forward with these executive actions in other states," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday.

It is not unheard of for judges to delay rulings they have issued. Last year, a federal judge ruled Texas' same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional but put that on hold to allow the state to appeal. But legal experts say it's unlikely Hanen will put his ruling on hold, because his ruling said states would "suffer irreparable harm in this case" if Obama's actions on immigration were to proceed while the lawsuit is argued.

"Based on (Hanen's) language, it stands to reason that if you stay this order then those harms would start to accrue and that's the whole point of him enjoining the order in the first place," said Pratheepan Gulasekaram, a constitutional and immigration law professor at Santa Clara University School of Law in California.

The first of Obama's orders — to expand a program that protects young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children — had been set to take effect Feb. 18. The other major part, extending deportation protections to parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have been in the country for some years, was not expected to begin until May 19.

The government said if Hanen doesn't act by the end of business Wednesday, they may ask the 5th Circuit for a stay. But Lourdes Martinez, an attorney with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco, said the 5th Circuit is known to be fairly conservative, and is likely to deny the request. Ultimately, it could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The stay request is separate from the Justice Department's appeal to the 5th Circuit; documents detailing the government's arguments have not yet been filed. That appeal would likely take anywhere from four to nine months to be ruled upon, Gulasekaram said.

While Bobbi Kristina Brown fights for her life, a feud has erupted over whether her partner can visit her in the hospital.

The only daughter of the late singer Whitney Houston has been hospitalized since being found unresponsive Jan. 31 in a tub at her Georgia home.

A lawyer for Bobbi Kristina's father, Bobby Brown, said in a statement late Saturday that Bobbi Kristina's partner, Nick Gordon, was offered an opportunity to potentially visit her if he agreed to meet certain conditions.

But Gordon's attorneys said Sunday that Brown has consistently denied Gordon permission to visit. They said they advised Gordon to refuse the conditions set by Brown. The conditions have not been made public.

Gordon has repeatedly offered to discuss the issue privately with Brown, rather than through lawyers.

"Those offers have also been rejected," said Gordon's lawyers, Randy Kessler and Joe Habachy, in the statement. "We hope Mr. Brown has a change of heart."

Houston brought Gordon into her household as an orphan at the age of 12, raising him and her daughter after divorcing Bobby Brown in 2007.

Relations between Gordon and some other family members soured last year: He remains subject to a protective order barring him from being within 200 feet of Bobbi Kristina's aunt, Patricia Houston.

Bobbi Kristina became the sole inheritor of her mother's estate when she died in 2012, and shortly thereafter, she and Gordon went public with their romantic relationship.

Brown said his daughter isn't and never has been married to Gordon.

On Feb. 19, doctors at Emory University Hospital replaced Bobbi Kristina's breathing tube with a tracheostomy tube, according to a person close to the family who was not authorized to speak on her condition. The tracheostomy is usually used for patients who need to be on a ventilator for an extended period.

Since the Great Recession, the country’s economic boom has improved the lives of many, especially those of the 1%; however, millions of people continue living in poverty. That is why communities have united to lift working families out of poverty by putting them on a path to making $15 an hour.

The communities’ demands are resonating throughout the country. Just last year, voters in Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota approved ballot measures to increase their minimum wage. While in California, voters in San Francisco and Oakland did the same.

Today, through the Raise the Wage campaign, residents in the city of Los Angeles are also taking steps to put workers on a path to making $15 an hour and bettering the lives of the 1 million Angelenos living in poverty.

However, as workers in the city of Los Angeles and neighboring cities and states win the right to livable wages, there will be 135,000 workers in LA County still living in poverty making a mere $9.65 an hour.

These workers are LA County In-Home Support Services (IHSS) providers.

IHSS providers, 81% percent of whom live in poverty, are primarily women of color who provide in-home care to our most vulnerable residents – our low-income seniors and people with disabilities. These caregivers assist clients with their most basic daily healthcare needs; such as, taking medications, accompanying them to doctors’ visits, providing a well-balanced diet, assisting with bathing and toileting, and creating a safe living environment.

While these caregivers provide a vital service, they’ll be left behind when the City of LA increases its minimum wage because their work is considered county work even if their client lives in the City.

Through the We Care LA campaign, LA County caregivers will educate the Board of Supervisors, and our communities, on the benefits that come from lifting caregivers out of poverty and providing a life of dignity.

By placing caregivers on a pathway to $15 an hour and lifting these workers out of poverty we’ll be preparing to meet the home care needs of tomorrow, stimulating the local economy, revitalizing our communities, and bringing dignity to these workers and the work they do.

By the year 2020, over 184,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities in LA County will be in need of in-home assistance.However, the number of caregivers being forced to the leave the industry due to low wages is growing at such a rate that there will soon be a caregiver shortfall. It is imperative that LA County sets the stage for the rapidly increasing number of people eligible and desirous of IHSS by providing caregivers a reasonable wage to be able to care for those in need while providing for their own families.

Paying caregivers higher wages will also create thousands of new local jobs, generate millions of dollars in additional tax revenues to state and local government, and reduce worker reliance on public assistance.By following the lead taken by other counties and placing LA County IHSS providers on a pathway to making $15 an hour, workers and their families will be able to live a life of dignity earning wages that better reflect the important work they do.

Providing a livable wage to caregivers is a win-win for communities, the economy, and families. But to achieve this, we need the support of our friends and neighbors. As the rest of the nation raises its workers out of poverty, I urge you to join caregivers in their quest for equality. Visit www.WeCareLA.us to sign the pledge to show your support and stay up-to-date on our progress. Join us in urging Los Angeles County not to stay ashore while the rest of the nation continues to ride on the wave toward a path to $15 an hour for their workers.

“I want to see best practices, I want to see compassionate education.”

“I came to America as a young girl, I had no idea about American culture,” said Margaret Richards-Bowers. “I knew where things were in America, I knew your highest mountain peaks, I knew your rivers but I didn’t know the people.

“I came seeking to find out more, to find my place in this vast, vast America.”

She would find that place here, eventually in Inglewood. Born in St. Vincent, Grenadines, Richards-Bowers came to the United States in the 1970s and eventually became a nurse. She may have put down her clipboard and syringe but her nurturing spirit has remained. Ricahrds-Bowers is looking to continue healing the community on the Inglewood Unified School District Board Seat 1.

“I bring the perspective of a nurse, someone who has advocated throughout my career for others.” Outside of her profession, Richards-Bowers said her interest has been in public education and making it a priority in the community.

“I want to be a voice for the community,” said Richard-Bowers. “The community still has needs and aspirations.

The role of Board Seat 1 would act in an advisory capacity with other board members in making the best decisions for the Inglewood School District. Richards-Bowers comments that the state takeover in 2012 has left board members silent—she hopes to change that.

“I’ve raised two sons in public education and I have always been present, monitoring and made my input,” said Richards-Bowers. “Now, I’m focusing my advocacy in that area because it is desperately needed.”

The IUSD was in bad shape, financially struggling in leadership and fiscal management and according to reports last year from the Fiscal Crisis and Management Team (FCMT), things aren’t getting better. Richards-Bowers hopes to help the school board turn the situation around.

“There must be transparency in governance in our school district…accountability—we have to balance the budget,” said Richards-Bowers. “Since 2012, when the state took over, we have not had a balanced budget.”

According to the FCMT, education is deeply feeling the ramifications and "despite the generally positive school environment, classroom teaching is highly inconsistent and unsuccessful as evidenced by low student achievement district-wide," the report reads.

“We must hastily improve the academic standards. Our children are behind academically, they’re not scoring well on standardized tests and that has to change.

“We have a new standard that is in place called Common Core. Testing should begin this year under those standards yet the children in the IUSD don’t have all that they need for the implementation.

“So what do we expect when they’re tested? And who is responsible for that? I think we all are responsible for that because we should be making the demands. ”

The report wasn’t all doom-and-gloom as there were signs of some students in the district showing academic progress. Much of the change in the report was credited to positive leadership from principals in the district. Richards-Bowers wants to continue that track of positive reinforcement.

“There was a time where this was a fine school district,” said Richards-Bowers. “I want to see us go back to the future.

“I want to see more community involvement—I mean everybody coming together, businesses, parents, students, teachers, administrators—everybody coming together to have an input.”

“We have a diverse community, we have children with special needs. Seventy-three percent of the students qualify for the free lunch program, so what that tells me is that we have children with particular needs that we must take care of.”

Richard-Bowers talks about the importance of legislators and the bills that they help to pass. She sees the need and the importance of their presence and awareness of the issues concerning the district.

“They are responsible for the bills that they pass, the laws that they pass,” said Richards-Bowers. “I understand that legislators have a lot of work, they have lots on their table, so they really rely on us to inform them.

“We would be negligent in our duty to the children if we don’t.”

Richards-Bowers has recently received the endorsement of the Los Angeles Democratic Party. In 2008, she was heavily involved in the Obama campaign and elected a district delegate to the democratic national convention. She is also involved with the Citizens Coalition For a Safe Community, where she serves as a community health advocate. More recently she served on the La Tijera School Grand Opening and Recruitment Committee and was on the IUSD Budget Advisory Committee 2012-13.

Elections take place on April 7 and Richards-Bowers encourages the community to get out and vote. “When six percent of the community turns out to vote that sends a clear message to the powers that be that we’re really not interested,” said Richards-Bowers. “Getting out there and voting, sends a clear message that we want better.”

brian@lasentinel.net

]]>brian@lasentinel.net (Brian W. Carter (Staff Writer))NewsThu, 26 Feb 2015 16:03:54 +0000LAUSD Dedicates a School in the Name of a Living Legend U.S. Congresswomanhttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14505:lausd-dedicates-a-school-in-the-name-of-a-living-legend-u-s-congresswoman&catid=74&Itemid=164
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14505:lausd-dedicates-a-school-in-the-name-of-a-living-legend-u-s-congresswoman&catid=74&Itemid=164

March 12, 2015 Los Angeles, CA LAUSD dedicates 3833 S Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90008 as the Diane Edith Watson Career Training Center. The center will provide: literacy, reading, computer training and community advocacy with an expansion for an auto mechanic program in the near future.The dedication and reception will commence promptly at1:00 PM and end at 2:30 PM. The dedication is open to the public and will be attended by dignitaries, elected officials, school personnel, youth, and the community.

Dr. Watson was destined to be a supporter of education even before she began teaching in 1965. Her inspiration came from a great-aunt, the first African-American educator in the Los Angeles UnifiedSchool District. Dr. Watson started her career as an elementary school teacher and a school psychologist. In 1975 she became a pioneer as the first African-American woman elected to the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education.She was able to expand school integration and strengthen academic standards.

In 1978 she was elected to the California State Senate, where she served for two decades and was the longest serving chairperson of the Health and Human Services committee. As a member of the California State Senator Dr. Watson became a statewide and national advocate for health care, consumer protection, women, and children rights.She authored the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program Act in 1993, which led to innovative research into the causes of birth defects.

She was appointed as U.S. Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia by then President William J. Clinton. In 2003, Dr. Watson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she proudly representedthe 33rd Congressional District and its constituents. She implemented policies and procedures on health care, social services, education and housing,and played an important role in foreign affairs.

On December 31, 2011, Dr. Watson retired from her political career. In an attempt to sum up her many years of public service, she simply states, “ I feel fortunate to have had a career of such significance to our state, our country, and our world.”

Board member Dr. George J. McKenna III,SuperintendentRamon C. Cortinesand Division of Adult and Career Education Executive Director Donna Brashear, and The Diane E. Watson Legacy Foundation invite you to celebrate the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and reception for the Diane E. Watson Career Training Center.

The Board of Directors of the annual Watts Summer Festival (WSF) announced today that U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-43rd) and California State Assemblyman Mike Gipson (D-64th), will chair this year’s event commemorating the 1965 Watts Revolt.

The historic revolt was sparked by the arrest of a black motorist by California Highway Patrol officer. After nearly a week of unrest, 34 people lost their lives and more than 1,000 were injured, more than 600 buildings were damaged and businesses were burned to the ground.

Growing from the ashes of the revolt, the Watts Summer Festival was conceived in 1966 by community members. In 1972, the Festival became the first African-American organization to sponsor “Wattstax: The Living Word,” a sellout concert at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum which became an album and made into an historic documentary.

Elected in November 2012 to her twelfth term in the House of Representatives, Rep. Waters represents a large part of South Central Los Angeles including the communities of Westchester, Playa Del Rey, and Watts and the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County comprised of Lennox, West Athens, West Carson, Harbor Gateway and El Camino Village. The 43rd District also includes the diverse cities of Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita and Torrance. Rep. Waters has always been a consistent supporter of the Watts Summer Festival.

Born and raised in Watts, Mike Gipson was elected to the California State Assembly in November 2014, representing the 64th Assembly District that includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor Gateway, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, South Los Angeles, Torrance, Watts/Willowbrook and Wilmington.

The resilience of the Watts Summer Festival is a strong testament to the dedication of the late Tommy Jacquette, who served from 1968-2009. This year’s WSF observance is timely with the world showing unity with peaceful protests throughout the nation and the world.

The deeper causes were documented by the McCone Commission, which investigated the revolt. The Commission determined that the causes were poverty, inequality, racial discrimination and the passage of Proposition 14 in 1964. The initiative overturned the Rumford Fair Housing Act, which established equality of opportunity for black home buyers.

The Watts Summer Festival, Inc. will be collaborating with Assemblymember Gipson to include other elected officials, local leaders, historic and community organizations; faith-based organizations and churches under the umbrella of “Watts Phoenix 50” to plan citywide events commemorating this historic point in civil rights.

Community stakeholders and residents are invited to participate by contacting Pamela Garrett at the Watts Festival Office (213) 361-8249; Kathy Williamson or Michelle Chambers at Assemblymember Mike Gipson’s Office (310) 223-1201; WattsPhoenix50@gmail.com or visiting the WSF Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WattsSummerFestival and website at www.WATTSFEST.ORG. to keep informed on upcoming planning, activities and events.

AB 522 creates a report card for IT contractors to increase accountability and competition.

On February 23, Assemblywoman Autumn R. Burke (D-Los Angeles) introduced the first bill of her legislative career to strengthen California’s information technology (IT) purchasing standards.AB 522 creates a report card of sorts for IT vendors and requires the state’s procurement process to take into account a bidder’s past performance when awarding projects.

“We’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars on IT projects without any real accountability to ensure that we’re getting what we paid for,” said Burke.“Results matter and with AB 522, companies will have an incentive to deliver quality projects that are on time and on budget.”

AB 522 establishes a standardized contractor performance assessment report system to evaluate how well a contractor performs on an IT project. Additionally, the data collected through the performance assessment will be used as part of the evaluation and awarding of any future IT contracts or projects.

“Past performance is a major criterion used by the Federal Government and other entities for selecting a vendor,” said Martin McGartland Chief Executive Officer of Natoma Technologies. “We are delighted to see California adopt this best practice for IT procurements because it will increase competition in the marketplace and provide more opportunities for successful vendors.”

AB 522’s first vote will occur in April.If passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Brown, the bill’s provisions would become law on January 1, 2016.

Burke represents the 62nd Assembly District, which consists of the cities of Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, and Gardena as well as the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Westchester, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Venice, and parts of Del Rey. Additionally, the 62nd Assembly District includes the unincorporated Los Angeles County communities of Del Aire, West Athens, Lennox, Westmont, and Marina del Rey.

Young Joey could hold his tongue no longer.After his Mom came home from her Wednesday night choir rehearsal, he peeked into her room to ask her if he could talk to her.She smiled, waiting.He wanted to collapse into her arms, but he manned up. Sitting on the foot of her bed, he opened the door to his closet. “Mom, I’m gay.”

The smile faded.Her face contorted into a disdain he rarely saw.And that was the beginning of his relationship with homelessness.After a week of trying to “fix” him because, she said, “God was against this lifestyle,” Joey’s mother ultimately kicked him out into the Los Angeles night. Sure, L.A. may be balmy in the daylight, but in the winter it is cold at night.

What is to become of young boys like Joey? For the past 15 years, Dr. Wilbert Jordan has noticed a trend showing they may wind up with HIV. Jordan, a widely renowned AIDS/HIV expert, has spent the last 37 years of his life at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) and the former Martin Luther King Hospital, now the Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center.

“Teenaged boys who are kicked out of the home are more likely to contract HIV than those whose families support them,” he said.As the founder and director of the Oasis Clinic which has been treating those with HIV and AIDS since 1984, he shared these statistics:

“We have a total of 85 adolescents, under the age of 24. We have 82 males and 3 females, and 48% of the males got infected after they were kicked out of the home.Another big issue we must talk about is molestation. Over half of my patients--64%--have been molested.When it happens to you when you are 12, you are still dealing with it when you are 45,” he continued. Because of this and other social dilemmas, the youth are at the mercy of the cold streets, which force them into relationships with those who may have HIV just to have a warm place to sleep at night.

“Ironically, in this community, a lot of the people who have living resources are positive because we have done a very good job providing resources to the HIV positive person. For that young kid if he is going to end up with someone who is also homosexual, his chances of ending up with someone who is HIV positive is great because those are the ones who have a place to stay since an HIV status gives you priority in getting Section 8 housing,” said Dr. Jordan.

That’s why, for the past 15 years, his clinic has been an Oasis.The acclaimed clinic’s programs provide a full range of services including medical, the all-important cocktails of medicines that keep most with AIDS alive, mental health, and referrals for housing and transportation.But because homeless youth also go hungry, every weekday (except Friday), persons who attend the Oasis Clinic at CDU can have a lunch provided free by Black churches. They include Zion Hill, Second Baptist, Saint Bridgid’s Catholic Church, First AME Church, Bryant Temple A.M.E., West Angeles C.O.G.I.C., and Faithful Central. And the irony--kids kicked out for religious reasons, but being rescued by the very same churches--is not lost on Dr. Jordan: Black churches care about people with HIV and have been showing it.

“It’s a way to let HIV patients know that they care. No grants are given to any of these churches.For 15 years, church folk have bought the food, cooked it, transported it and served it,” said Dr. Jordan, whose clinic is a collaboration between CDU and Los Angeles County’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center OASIS Clinic.

“HIV/AIDS in this homeless population of teenaged boys is a health issue that is 100% preventable. Black people tend to be a generation and a half behind the rest of America in terms of tolerance and how they deal with homosexuality, particularly among men, and that hurts the kids.Most adolescents have no resources--no rich father nor uncle or aunt or anyone to run to, so they are on the street,” he said.That’s why each church adopts a day a month to provide delicious home-cooked meals. On one recent day, Sonia Hooper from Unity Fellowship served a heart-warming bean and sausage soup with hot water corn bread and homemade cookies. For some it is the only meal they get daily.

“Every church I have gone to, I never had anyone say no,” he said. “Our motto is this is the place where first class people are treated first class.We treat our patients just as well as anybody. Our providers are just as knowledgeable as anywhere.We stand head and shoulders with anybody and, yes, we are arrogant about that.”Here are some HIV Prevention tips Dr. Jordan offers parents:

·Parents and children should sit down and talk about sex, STDs, and sexuality, before it becomes an issue.Keep the lines of communication open.

·Get tested, and make sure sexually active teens, especially with partners who have been incarcerated, get tested.

·If your son or daughter shows affection for the same sex, don’t think that the world has come to an end.

·Research places they can go for help, like the Oasis Clinic.

·Seek out support groups, not just for them, but also for you.They can help you understand.

·Talk to others parents who have successfully raised gay teens.

·“You are my child. I love you. I gave birth to you” is what you should say rather than “Get out.”

“One last thing that is very important: No one needs to die of AIDS now,” Dr. Jordan said emphatically.“There are good treatments but the sooner you find out the easier it is to keep you healthy.It is not the death sentence it used to be, but, you’ve got to take your medicines. It is a shame that we still have patients coming in here near death having lost 150 pounds.

“There is no reason for someone to let themselves whither.There are treatments but the patients have to come in, be diagnosed, and take their medicines.And we have a few who go to some of these healers and think they have gotten healed.

“There is nobody healed from AIDS, so please don’t even ask me. No one has been healed.They are simply undetectable.In fact most of the patients here who take their medicines are undetectable. But if they stop taking their medicines, they are going to go downhill. That’s where we are with HIV. That’s nothing unique.We have good medicines now that don’t cause the same side effects that we used to have…Most of our patients take one pill a day or two pills once a day. You can’t beat that.But the persons have to be ready to take their medicines.”

The Oasis Clinic provides lunches Monday through Thursdays most days. Oasis is located at 1807 E 120th Street, LA 90059. One does not need to live in the area to be seen. Call Monday through Friday (424) 338-2929 for an appointment. Walk ins are welcome. Tuesday’s clinic is open until 8 p.m.

Thousands of Metro train and bus riders claimed in a survey released on Thursday that they were sexually harassed during their public transit trips.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority asked 22,604 riders in the spring of 2014 if they were victims of unwanted sexual behavior, including touching, exposure or inappropriate comments, during the past six months, and 22 percent -- or about 4,900 people -- responding ``yes.''

There were about 450 million boardings on Metro transit in 2014, officials said.

In contrast to the survey results, Metro's customer relations office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department received 99 complaints in 2014.

Of the complaints, 62 were for unwanted touching and 31 people reported indecent exposure. The complaints resulted in 20 arrests.

Metro riders who experience sexual harassment were urged to call the Sheriff's Department at (888) 950-SAFE.

This is the second time Metro has asked its riders about sexual harassment. The first time, the survey was worded differently, asking riders if they "felt unsafe'' due to sexual harassment during the past month, which yielded "yes'' responses from 18 percent of those surveyed.

The latest survey changed the question so it did not ask about the rider's sense of safety, only asking whether the rider experienced sexual harassment.

The sexual harassment question was part of a general customer satisfaction survey that has been conducted twice a year for the past 12 years.

The latest survey found that 86 percent were "generally satisfied'' by Metro's service, 79 percent felt the bus or train arrived on time and 83 percent said they felt safe on the bus or train.

On Friday, February 27 a group of labor leaders, workers, business owners, and community members will gather at the Los Angeles Labor Federation boardroom to discuss the impending campaign aimed at raising the minimum wage in Los Angeles.

Additionally the event will offer information on how raising the minimum wage could positively impact the lives of African American workers.

According to the data from the L.A.-based Economic Roundtable, 64% of Latinos and 42%of African-Americans are paid less than $15 an hour.

Currently, the minimum wage is set at $9.00 an hour for the city of Los Angeles.

“More than 800,000 Angelenos are living in poverty and more than 40,000 African Americans in our city don't earn a living wage. Our coalition is out to change that,” said Laphonza Butler, co-convener of the Raise the Wage campaign and president of SEIU United Long Term Care Workers.

Butler will join Rusty Hicks, co-convener of the Raise the Wage Coalition and executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor as co-conveners of the Raise the Wage campaign.

Speakers will also discuss how raising the wage will provide an economic boost to the city, as well as the public demand for the raise.

“By raising the LA City minimum wage to $15.25 an hour and ensuring that workers are protected in the workplace we’re taking steps to bridge the gap of our City’s economic inequality and making sure that jobs aren’t just jobs, but good jobs by which we’re able to provide for our families and reclaim the American Dream,” Butler said.

The briefing will be held this Friday, from 3 to 5 p.m. and is closed to the public.

]]>rchambers@lasentinel.net (Danielle Cralle, contributing writer)LocalThu, 26 Feb 2015 22:24:49 +0000Historic March for Justice Brings Together Community In Of Support of Ezell Ford Familyhttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14485:historic-march-for-justice-brings-together-community-in-of-support-of-ezell-ford-family&catid=80&Itemid=170
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14485:historic-march-for-justice-brings-together-community-in-of-support-of-ezell-ford-family&catid=80&Itemid=170

As the clouds rolled in more than 1,000 enthusiastic advocates for Black unity, peace and justice marched from Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. to Leimert Park on Saturday, Feb. 21 to bring hope to a plight that has gripped African Americans for years.

Determined, hopeful participants of the historical MARCH commemorating the assassination of Malcolm X, led by Sentinel Executive Publisher Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. and The Rev. Xavier Thompson along with a host of other community, religious, labor and civic leaders rallied together along with community members and families to advocate for non-violence and justice within the African American Community.

The four hour MARCH and rally, concluded with inspirational speeches before a capacity crowd at Leimert Park.

The MARCH integrated several elements, but the primary purpose was uniting the Black community to support and protect black lives.

The MARCH came on the heels of the highly publicized, and fatal, shootings of several unarmed Black men including 25 year-old mentally ill Los Angeles resident, Ezell Ford.

Ford’s family were guest of Bakewell at the event and stood in support of the cause.

Ezell’s mother, Tritobia Ford, tearfully addressed the crowd, calling on her faith to help her get through the difficult time.

“I have no time for hate,” she cried.

Despite her heartache, she remained hopeful.

“I don’t believe that God allowed my son to be taken for nothing,” she said. “I know that there will be victory.”

Chants for no justice, no peace boomed throughout the crowd during the marched as participants touted powerful messages under the cloudy skies.

Both African and American flags were waved high, as community members donned t-shirts with popular phrases such as “Black Lives Matter” and “I Can’t Breathe” printed across them.

Prominent clergy such as Rev. Thompson, Kelvin Sauls of Holmon United Methodist and J. Edgar Boyd of First AME were all in attendance and played a crucial part in the organizing of this historic march, joining local politicians and celebrities such as legendary female rapper and now activist Yolanda ‘Yo-Yo’ Whitaker on the front lines in the fight for justice.

As participants made their way towards the Leimert Park, the sun finally broke through the clouds and the rally commenced. From there, leaders spoke about an urgent and immediate need for change, for the sake of the community.

"Parents of communities of color bear a terrible burden,” said LaMont G. Jackson, representative of the Los Angeles Community College District. "Action is long overdue to reform this broken system and the time is now."

For many speakers, the march was also an opportunity to illustrate just how vital organization and leadership are to underrepresented communities.

"We can't wait for a system that wasn't built for us to respect us,” said Laphonza Butler, president of the Service Employees International Union of United Long Term Care Workers (ULTCW). “This is what leadership looks like,” she said.

The next steps of the movement

Beyond the cries for justice and unity heard nationwide many community members, both Black and white, have expressed concerns over how to change the justice system for the better, and whether or not that’s even possible.

“Most important is what happens after we march. If this is all we do then we just put on another show. It’s like a pep rally,” George McKenna, board member of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

McKenna acknowledged that the problematic relationship between police officers and the black community is a complicated one that will require an overhaul of existing policies and procedures, as well a shift in thinking.

“Not only do our lives matter but the procedures and the practices and the policies and the resources that are in this community must be focused on rescuing not only our children but rescuing the police officers from seeing us prey,” McKenna said.

“If the prey always looks like us, not only is that not fair, that’s unacceptable, it’s illegal,” he said.

Additionally, McKenna highlighted the importance of preparing and educating community members to make better choices in order to stay out of the criminal system.

“What we can do in the educational system is prepare our young people, to prevent them from being a part of the criminal justice system,” McKenna said.

Bass called for the end of Stand Your Ground laws and indicated that the Congressional Black Caucus has introduced a number of pieces of legislation to improve community-police relations and provide equal justice to all.

Bakewell Sr. stands with Tritobia Ford, mother of Ezell Ford, a 25 year-old man slain by the LAPD in August.

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines said last week he does not believe the district has the money to complete its goal of providing every student with a laptop or tablet computer. (File photo)

Last week Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent (LAUSD) Ramon Cortines said that he does not believe the district has the money to complete its goal of providing every student with a laptop or tablet computer.

Cortines noted that although he remains committed to providing students access to technology, ``there must be a balanced approach to spending bond dollars to buy technology when there are so many brick-and-mortar and other critical facility needs that must be met.''

The effort to provide all students, teachers and administrators with iPads or laptops was championed by former Superintendent John Deasy but the rollout of the $1 billion program, however, was beset by problems from the start.

Questions about Deasy's contacts with officials from Apple and education- software vendor Pearson, however, forced a re-bidding of contracts and ultimately contributed to his departure from the district.

For his part, Cortines still wants students to have access as needed to desktop, laptop or tablet computers, but the funding makes it difficult to provide the technology to everyone in the district.

``I do think we will need to identify alternative ongoing resources to fund the curriculum that is pre-loaded on some of the devices, which of course is why I believe that currently the district does not have sufficient funds to purchase and maintain technology in a 1:1 model,'' he said.

``We must also consider the issue of replacing the devices, along with offering professional development to help teachers infuse technology into their class lessons,” Cortines said.

In order to make the best decisions, Cortines emphasized the importance of long-term thinking.

``We must think and act long-term,'' he said.

Cortines' comments came as the district is locked in bitter contract talks with the teachers' union, United Teachers Los Angeles.

The union declared an impasse in talks earlier this week, meaning a mediator will likely be appointed. The union is demanding at least an 8 percent pay raise for teachers while the LAUSD has offered 5 percent. Cortines said offering more than 5 percent raises would lead to layoffs and service cuts across the district.

1966- Andrew Brimmer became the first African American governor of the Federal Reserve board when President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed him.

Feb. 27

1988- Figure skater Debi Thomas became the first African American to win a bronze medal at the winter Olympic Games.

Feb. 28

1984- Michael Jackson won eight Grammy Awards for his album, “Thriller.” Jackson broke sales records with the “Thriller” album making it the top-grossing album of all time.

(Michael Jackson)

March 1

1963- American journalist and government official Carl T. Rowan was named U.S. Ambassador to Finland. This resulted after he served as a delegate for the United Nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

March 2

1972- Dr. Jerome H. Holland was elected to the board of directors of the New York Stock Exchange on this day.

March 3

1990- Carole Gist was crowned as the first African America woman to win Miss USA title. Gist later competed in the Miss Universe pageant, where she placed as first runner up to Miss Norway.

(Carole Gist)

March 4

1897- Successful tap dancer Willie Covan was born in Savannah, Georgia. Covan was one of the first African American tap dancers to go mainstream as an actor. He was known for his roles in “The Duke Is Tops,” “The Big Fix,” and “Finian’s Rainbow.”

Wade Henderson, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. (Freddie Allen/NNPA/FILE PHOTO)

Many young African Americans will be shut out of the high paying jobs of the future, if they don’t earn a degree in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), according to a new report.

The new report by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 200 advocacy and outreach groups, said that less than 3 percent of Blacks have earned a degree in the natural sciences or engineering fields by the age of 24 and that the STEM labor force is projected to grow by 2.6 million jobs over the next five years. Researchers said that more than half of those jobs will go to people with bachelor’s or master’s degrees.

In a press release about the report Wade Henderson, president and CEO of both the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the Leadership Conference Education Fund, said that equal access to a STEM education is crucial to the future of our country and economy, and to the lives of millions of minority and women students.

“We must – all of us – examine what systemic changes are necessary to ensuring that STEM learning is inclusive, engaging, and equally accessible, so that all of our children have the same opportunities to adequately prepare for college and for careers that will allow them to support themselves and their families,” said Henderson.

According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM workers, specifically in computer and math careers, make more than $80,000 per year. Even workers that graduate with associate’s degrees earn about 10 percent more than those working in non-STEM jobs.

“Yet, right now, all across America, there are nearly 40 million adults – disproportionately people of color and those who grew up in poverty – who do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent,” stated the report. “And they are effectively locked into the lowest rungs of the occupational ladder.”

The majority of poor children don’t know enough words or have enough math skills when they start kindergarten and confronted with less experienced teachers and limited resources are ill-equipped for Algebra, a prerequisite for higher-level math courses, by the time they reach the 8th grade.

Some states failed to provide minority students access to those high-level math and English courses altogether.

“In 2013, there were 11 states where not one Black student took the Advanced Placement (AP) computer science exam, which allows high school students to earn college credit: Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming,” stated the report. “Nearly 20 percent of African-American high school students attend a high school that does not offer any AP courses.”

The report included a number of policy proposals and necessary actions for federal, state, and local lawmakers as well the private sector and philanthropic groups designed to encourage diversity in STEM careers and to raise the awareness of opportunities in STEM in the Black community. Those proposals included provided access to STEM courses as early as elementary school, investing more resources into training teachers, developing technical job programs for an evolving workforce, and asking business and industry leaders to collaborate with colleges to make sure that students are gaining skills to fill vacant STEM jobs.

The report noted that, “The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) warned that 300,000 or so college students graduating each year with bachelor’s and associate’s degrees in STEM fields is one million off the mark

The Department of Education launched The Equity and Excellence Commission, in an effort to eliminate the racial and socioeconomic disparities in education. That group recommended ensuring high-quality early learning programs for low-income students, distributing highly effective teachers equitably, incentivizing the development of racially and socioeconomically diverse schools, and strengthening parent engagement programs.

The Leadership Conference report said that it’s time for the United States to the examine the pressures that squeeze minority children out of the STEM pipeline and to accelerate the reforms that work to close the opportunity and achievement gaps.

“STEM education isn’t merely a new feel-good fad,” stated the report. “It is now – and will continue to be – the backbone of our dynamic and constantly changing world. And it’s critical that we make sure that it’s equally available to every child.”

Assemblymember Ridley-Thomas introduces legislation to bring equity and economic stability to dedicated school workers who struggle during the summer break

Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas introduced Assembly Bill 399, the Education Worker Summer Relief Act, that will help provide economic stability for thousands of California working families by allowing dedicated school bus drivers, special education assistants, cafeteria workers, campus safety officers and other classified school workers to receive unemployment insurance benefits in the summer months when work is not available. Current law prohibits them from receiving summer benefits.

“During the academic year, in school districts throughout California, classified school employees serve our children and support their learning with deep passion, commitment and hard work,” Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas said. “Yet, during the summer months when many schools are not in session, these dedicated education workers often struggle to pay their rent and feed their own children. This legislation begins a dialogue about correcting an inequity in our state’s current unemployment insurance system to ensure that classified school workers can receive the seasonal benefits they deserve.”

“I love what I do with a passion,” says Cesar Solis, a Special Education employee at Leichman Special Education Center in the Los Angeles Unified School District. “But hard times make it difficult to continue. Sometimes I get teary thinking about leaving a job I really love.”

“I love my job,” says Anthony Bradshaw, a warehouse worker for the Lynwood Unified School District. “But it’s difficult in the summer. A couple times, I’ve been able to find a job. But because the job market is so tight, it’s often time to go back to work before I can find a job. This past year, I got behind on a lot of my bills. I’m trying to catch up now, but the same thing might happen this summer.”

For most school workers, finding summer jobs is almost impossible. Hiring managers don’t want to invest in employees who will only be working for two or three months.

Assembly Bill 399 would bring justice to the current unemployment insurance system by:

Recognizing the difference between the principal and the lunch lady. Classified employees are among the lowest paid workers in our schools and most work less than eight hours a day. Yet, current law is based on the rationale that all school workers – from administrators to teachers to cafeteria workers- earn enough during the school year to cover the three month summer recess period.

Ensuring equity for all seasonal workers

Classified school employees are the only seasonal workers prohibited by California law from receiving unemployment benefits. Sports stadium employees, farm workers, retail employees and other seasonal employees are eligible for unemployment benefits during their seasonal break periods.

“Many school workers who have chosen to commit their life’s work to helping educate our children are forced to live in an endless cycle of debt and poverty,” said SEIU Local 99 Executive Director Max Arias. “We must do more to ensure school jobs are good jobs by improving wages, increasing full time work, expanding summer school, and ensuring school workers have access to unemployment benefits when they need them. This legislation is a step forward toward ensuring that dedicated school workers can support their families while continuing to provide quality services to students during the school year.”

On the heels the announcement that state Democratic Senator Isadore Hall will launch a campaign for the 44th Congressional District, speculation is looming that perhaps Hawthorne Mayor Chris Brown will make a bid at the Senate in 2016.

Brown scoffed at such innuendo when asked about the prospects.

"At this moment, I'm currently focused on my re-election for Mayor for the City

of Hawthorne. I'm looking forward to all the new exciting projects going on in

Hawthorne and making sure all my goals here are accomplished before I seek

higher office."

Brown’s name has been prominent in conversations during the past week.

Sources have indicated that he has been contacted by elected officials within the 35th Senate District, including labor unions, as well as individuals in the business community in Sacramento about a possible run.

However, Brown continues to point to his re-election campaign for the City of Hawthorne.

"At this moment, I'm currently focused on my re-election for Mayor for the City of Hawthorne," he said, not completely ruling out the possibility.

The filing period for Senate doesn’t begin until February 2016, giving the progressive Brown ample time to reconsider.

There are obvious reasons for his appeal in Sacramento.

During his short time in Hawthorne, Brown revitalized the city, opening as many as 15 new businesses and, completed massive infrastructure on Hawthorne Blvd., and additionally has lofty goals to reopen the Hawthorne Mall that would bring 5000 jobs to the city.

Brown slashed Hawthorne’s $6.8 million deficit and is now operating in the black for the first time in 6 years, all within his first term.

The burning question now, is will he continue to transform Hawthorne or aim to make a larger impact on constituents in Sacramento?

(Los Angeles-February 21, 2015)--The Black Leadership Coalition spearheaded by Los Angeles Executive Publisher, Danny Bakewell, Sr. and Baptist Ministers Conference L.A. PresidentReverend Xavier Thompson led the March for Justice and Unity today. The two-mile march began in front of the Southwest Los Angeles Police Department on M.L. King Blvd. and ended with a rally at Leimert Park on Crenshaw. Approximately a thousand concerned community leaders and people participated in this well planned March to protest police violence, brutality and racial profiling.

The family of Ezell Ford, a 25 year old man who was described as mentally ill by family members, was fatally shot by LAPD officers nearly four months ago and Jamar Nicholson, an unarmed15 year old was shot in the back by a police officer this week.

The Black Leadership Coalition was the brainchild of Reverend Xavier Thompson; President, Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Los Angeles and Pastor, Southern Missionary Baptist Church, Los Angeles. Rev. Thompson resides over 300 churches in Los Angeles and Danny Bakewell, Sr.; Executive Publisher, Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper. The purpose of the Coalition is to have the individual groups who are seeking justice and unity to come together for one common goal.

Physical acting is on display during the first act, as viewers witness the violent rape of Stacy Love by her husband. The Loves are played by Ptosha Story and Vincent Ward.

The abuser’s sister, played by Rhonda Morman, hopes to put a stop to the abuse, one way or another.

Courtesy Photos

As plays go, ‘The Conversation,’ by playwright Tasha Biltmore goes beyond just telling a story and providing entertainment, but makes a serious attempt to expose the reality that many people face when dealing with domestic violence.Told from the point of view of the abusive husband, this well written play exposes both the strengths as well as the weaknesses of those who commit such acts.

The main character, James Love, played by Vincent Ward, is an ex-NFL athlete who is struggling to get his life back on tract and return to professional sports.Through his attempts at seeking the right path, the play exposes all sides of those affected by domestic violence.

Aiding Love in his attempts to get his life together is his sister Amanda Love, played by Rhonda Morman.Decision making is a strong theme running throughout the play, and Amanda seeks to change her brother’s thinking and protect his wife, Stacy Love, played by Ptosha Storey, even going as far as matching her brother’s violence with her own pistol.

Represented in this play are the abused wife, the obsessed mistress, the best friend, the new boyfriend, and even the player seeking to capitalize off the loneliness of the abused.Together they weave a web of plotlines that attempt to describe the multifaceted realities faced by all of those involved in domestic violence.

Standouts in the play are the narrator, a young woman named Gwen Taylor, played by the talented Tiffany Denise, and James Love’s mistress, Rachel Voss, played by Tiffany Royale.Through a series of creatively written monologues, Taylor not only describes her own story of violence and abuse, but sets the stage for the viewer to understand the story of Love and his family.Voss gives us the other side of abuse, as a character who mentally and verbally abuses James Love, as well as delving into the mentality of the ‘side chick.’

With such a serious theme, there has to be a break from all that seriousness and sadness.These breaks come from the comic relief of the supporting characters.Leading the pack is radio personality Lisa Q, played by the fabulous Malika Blessing, who doubled as an actress and the Production Manager setting up and designing the stage for the production.Helping Lisa’s big voice are the stuttering player named Aviator, played by Antonio Ramirez, and the over sexed real estate agent and gossip hound Ms. Thomas, played by Raven Melinda.

“’The Conversation’ is an emotional play for me because I had to re-live so much of my past, in which I endured three bad relationships,” said writer and director Tasha Biltmore. “I have spent twenty years trying to diminish and let go of my past. Finally I had enough and stopped punishing myself for someone else’s sick behavior and I regained my power. I am not that broken woman anymore. ‘The Conversation’ has forced me to have conversations and share my painful story with others to let them see there is still a lot of healing, forgiveness, and accepting of life after the pain.”

Biltmore also runs the ‘Actor’s Playhouse Workshop,’ a free, weekly workshop designed to foster and cultivate beginning actors and actresses located in Maverick’s Flat on Crenshaw and Stocker. She plans on taking ‘The Conversation’ on a college tour to promote domestic violence advocacy on campuses.

Biltmore’s next production is an erotic stage play titled ‘Roxy.’Roxy is set to premier June 19-20 at the Acme Comedy Theater on Labrea and Beverly.Biltmore promises that “this will be a Father’s Day that you won’t forget.”

For more information on ‘The Conversation,’ ‘Roxy,’ or Tasha Biltmore, go to www.facebook.com/tasha.biltmore.

An Artesia woman sued the county last Friday, alleging sheriff's deputies mishandled her report that she fought off a man who invaded her home and downplayed her allegations because she is black. Vivica Keyes, 55, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging violation of equal protection, racial and gender discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

An Artesia woman sued the county last Friday, alleging sheriff's deputies mishandled her report that she fought off a man who invaded her home and downplayed her allegations because she is black. Vivica Keyes, 55, filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging violation of equal protection, racial and gender discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She's seeking unspecified damages. The complaint alleges the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has a ``pattern and practice of discriminatory conduct'' in which crimes reported by blacks, especially black women, are not investigated in the same way as are those filed by members of other races.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Nicole Nishida did not immediately reply to request for comment. But Nishida previously said the case was fully investigated and that appropriate charges were filed against the intruder. Keyes says she woke up to find a stranger in her living room dripping blood after apparently breaking into her home through the kitchen window on Jan. 23, 2014. Her court papers allege the man, later identified as 29-year-old Long Beach resident Jason Damour, grabbed her and the two fought until she was able to free herself, dial 911 and run to a neighbor's house.

According to the lawsuit, a deputy dispatched to Keyes' home told her that Damour did not commit a burglary because nothing was stolen and that he did not assault or batter Keyes because the plaintiff was unhurt. Keyes was ``covered in blood from her hair to her feet,'' but neither the deputies nor the paramedics who came later asked her if she was hurt or needed medical help, her suit alleges. The deputy who allegedly minimized the incident subsequently told Keyes that Damour's parents were present and wanted to speak to her and ask her to not press charges because their son ``had never been in trouble before,'' according to the suit.

Keyes says she was ``shocked'' and did not agree to the parents' request. The Sheriff's Department eventually made a report on the incident in response to demands by Keyes, but the contents were ``false and misleading'' and ``intended to minimize the nature of the crimes committed against her,'' the suit alleges. Damour was ultimately charged with misdemeanor trespassing and vandalism because deputies said he placed his hands on Keyes' shoulders and did not appear to commit any violence, the suit states.